Global Warming

Introduction

NASA defines climate change as: "a broad range of global phenomena created
predominantly by burning fossil fuels, which add heat-trapping gases to Earth’s
atmosphere. These phenomena include the increased temperature trends
described by global warming, but also encompass changes such as sea level rise;
ice mass loss in Greenland, Antarctica, the Arctic and mountain glaciers
worldwide; shifts in flower/plant blooming; and extreme weather events."
The continuous rise in temperature of the planet is really upsetting. The root cause for this is global
warming. Global warming begins when sunlight reaches the Earth. The clouds, atmospheric
particles, reflective ground surfaces and the surface of oceans then sends back about 30 % of
sunlight back into space, whilst the remaining is absorbed by oceans, air, and land. This
consequently heats up the surface of the planet and atmosphere, making life feasible. As the Earth
warms up, this solar energy is radiated by thermal radiation and infrared rays, propagating directly
out to space thereby cooling the Earth. However, some of the outgoing radiation is re-absorbed by
carbon dioxide, water vapors, ozone, methane and other gases in the atmosphere and is radiated
back to the surface of Earth. These gases are commonly known as greenhouse gases due to their
heat-trapping capacity. It must be noted that this re-absorption process is actually as good as the
Earth’s average surface temperature would be very cold if there was no existence of greenhouse
gases. The dilemma began when the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere was
artificially increased by humankind at an alarming rate since the past two centuries. As of 2004,
over 8 billion tons of carbon dioxide was pumped thermal radiation is further hindered by increased
levels of greenhouse gases resulting in a phenomenon known as a human enhanced global warming
effect. Recent observations regarding global warming have substantiated the theory that it is indeed
a human-enhanced greenhouse effect that is causing the planet to heat up. The planet has
experienced the largest increase in surface temperature over the last 100 years. Between 1906 and
2006, the Earth’s average surface temperature augmented between 0.6 to 0.9 degrees Celsius,
however out per year. Millions of pounds of methane gas are generated in landfills and agricultural
decomposition of biomass and animal manure. Nitrous oxide is released into the atmosphere by
various nitrogen-based fertilizers including urea and diammonium phosphate and other soil
management utilization. Once released, these greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for decades
or even longer. According to Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), carbon dioxide
and methane levels have increased by 35 % and 148 % since the industrial revolution of 1750.
 Sources of Global Warming

Global Emissions by Gas

At the global scale, the key greenhouse gases emitted by human activities are:

Source: IPCC
(2014) EXIT based on global emissions from 2010. Details about the sources included in these estimates
can be found in the Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. EXIT

 Carbon dioxide (CO2): Fossil fuel use is the primary source of CO2. CO2 can
also be emitted from direct human-induced impacts on forestry and other land
use, such as through deforestation, land clearing for agriculture, and degradation
of soils. Likewise, land can also remove CO2 from the atmosphere through
reforestation, improvement of soils, and other activities.
 Methane (CH4): Agricultural activities, waste management, energy use, and
biomass burning all contribute to CH4 emissions.
 Nitrous oxide (N2O): Agricultural activities, such as fertilizer use, are the primary
source of N2O emissions. Fossil fuel combustion also generates N2O.
 Fluorinated gases (F-gases): Industrial processes, refrigeration, and the use of
a variety of consumer products contribute to emissions of F-gases, which include
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), perfluorocarbons (PFCs), and sulfur hexafluoride
(SF6).
 Global Emissions by Economic Sector
Global greenhouse gas emissions can also be broken down by the economic
activities that lead to their production.[1]

Source: IPCC
(2014); EXIT based on global emissions from 2010. Details about the sources included in these estimates
can be found in the Contribution of Working Group III to the Fifth Assessment Report of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. EXIT

 Electricity and Heat Production (25% of 2010 global greenhouse gas

emissions): The burning of coal, natural gas, and oil for electricity and heat is the
largest single source of global greenhouse gas emissions.
 Industry (21% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): Greenhouse gas
emissions from industry primarily involve fossil fuels burned on site at facilities for
energy. This sector also includes emissions from chemical, metallurgical, and
mineral transformation processes not associated with energy consumption and
emissions from waste management activities. (Note: Emissions from industrial
electricity use are excluded and are instead covered in the Electricity and Heat
Production sector.)
 Agriculture, Forestry, and Other Land Use (24% of 2010 global greenhouse
gas emissions): Greenhouse gas emissions from this sector come mostly
from agriculture(cultivation of crops and livestock) and deforestation. This
 estimate does not include the CO2 that ecosystems remove from the atmosphere
by sequestering carbon in biomass, dead organic matter, and soils, which offset
approximately 20% of emissions from this sector.[2]
 Transportation (14% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): Greenhouse
gas emissions from this sector primarily involve fossil fuels burned for road, rail,
air, and marine transportation. Almost all (95%) of the world's transportation
energy comes from petroleum-based fuels, largely gasoline and diesel.
 Buildings (6% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): Greenhouse gas
emissions from this sector arise from onsite energy generation and burning fuels
for heat in buildings or cooking in homes. (Note: Emissions from electricity use in
buildings are excluded and are instead covered in the Electricity and Heat
Production sector.)
 Other Energy (10% of 2010 global greenhouse gas emissions): This source of
greenhouse gas emissions refers to all emissions from the Energy sector which
are not directly associated with electricity or heat production, such as fuel
extraction, refining, processing, and transportation.

Causes of Global warming

The major cause of global warming is the greenhouse gases. They include carbon dioxide,
methane, nitrous oxides and in some cases chlorine and bromine-containing compounds. The
build-up of these gases in the atmosphere changes the radiative equilibrium in the atmosphere.
Their overall effect is to warm the Earth’s surface and the lower atmosphere because greenhouse
gases absorb some of the outgoing radiation of Earth and re-radiate it back towards the surface.
The net warming from 1850 to the end of the 20th century was equivalent to nearly 2.5 W/m2 with
carbon dioxide contribution about 60 % to this figure, methane about 25 percent, with nitrous
oxides and halocarbons providing the remainder. In 1985, Joe Farman, of the British Antarctic
Survey, published an article showing the decrease in ozone levels over Antarctica during the early
1980s. The response was striking: large-scale international scientific programmes were mounted
to prove that CFCs (used as aerosol propellants in industrial cleaning fluids and in refrigeration
tools) were the cause of the problem. Even more important was abrupt international action to curb
the emissions of CFCs.The second major cause of global warming is the depletion of ozone layer.
This happens mainly due to the presence of chlorine-containing source gases. When ultraviolet
light is present, these gases dissociate releasing chlorine atoms which then catalyses ozone
destruction. Aerosols present in the atmosphere are also causing global warming by changing the
climate in two different ways. Firstly, they scatter and absorb solar and infrared radiation and
secondly, they may alter the microphysical and chemical properties of clouds and perhaps affect
their lifetime and extent. The scattering of solar radiation acts to cool the planet, while absorption
of solar radiation by aerosols warms the air directly instead of permitting sunlight to be absorbed
by the surface of the Earth. The human contribution to the amount of aerosols in the atmosphere
is of various forms. For instance, dust is a by-product of agriculture. Biomass burning generates a
mixture of organic droplets and soot particles. Many industrial processes produce a wide diversity
of aerosols depending on what is being burned or generated in the manufacturing process.
Moreover, exhaust emissions from various sorts of transport produce a rich mixture of pollutants
that are either aerosols from the outset or are transformed by chemical reactions in the atmosphere
to form aerosols.
Effects of Global Warming

Each year, scientists learn more about the consequences of global warming, and many
agree that environmental, economic, and health consequences are likely to occur if
current trends continue. Here’s just a smattering of what we can look forward to:

 Melting glaciers, early snowmelt, and severe droughts will cause more dramatic
water shortages and increase the risk of wildfires in the American West.

 Rising sea levels will lead to coastal flooding on the Eastern Seaboard, especially
in Florida, and in other areas such as the Gulf of Mexico.

 Forests, farms, and cities will face troublesome new pests, heat waves, heavy
downpours, and increased flooding. All those factors will damage or destroy
agriculture and fisheries.

 Disruption of habitats such as coral reefs and Alpine meadows could drive many
plant and animal species to extinction.

 Allergies, asthma, and infectious disease outbreaks will become more common
due to increased growth of pollen-producing ragweed, higher levels of air pollution,
and the spread of conditions favorable to pathogens and mosquitoes.
Preventions/solutions

As elaborated earlier, toxic emissions are a major cause of global warming, A likely solution to
reduce harmful emissions is to cut the usage of vehicles which produce them. This has not been
met with much success as many people refuse to cut down their practice of using cars. No doubt,
some people have started to use bicycles and public transport, whereas some other prefer to walk
but these numbers are relatively small. It should be noted that fuel economy and emission rates are
chief factors to consider regarding the car choice.
Hybrid cars have higher efficiency and lower emission rates. Keeping the tires inflated will
help improve mileage and air filters should be frequently replaced to
cut down harmful emissions. People should share the ride with friends or co-workers to reduce
the total number of vehicles on the road. Print and social media can play an effective role in
curbing the problem. It should use the philosophy of automobile advertisements to encourage
drivers to conserve energy and reduce pollution. Awareness campaigns can be started using
placards, posters and logos similar to shown in Figures 12-14. They are a very useful way to
demonstrate that global warming is not good for the planet. Recycling is also a good way to reduce
global warming. People should use rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones. Quality
products should be bought that have a long life. Shopping should be done from local markets which
reduce transportation. Even small individual efforts like lowering the thermostats in winter and
using compact fluorescent lamps instead of incandescent lamps can aid to address the issue of
global warming. Reforestation schemes must be started to grow a large number of trees. Forest
degradation and deforestation must be discouraged at the government level. Nuclear power is also
a possible solution as this power results in fewer emissions but this method should be used with
care as it can lead to severe accidents, therefore, the major hurdle is to overcome the security,
propagation, waste disposal and high costs of nuclear power if this method has to be made
practical.

Conclusion
The scientific and environmental community is on the same page regarding the bitter reality of
global warming and the involvement of human factor in it. The paper discussed here has only
dented the surface of what is a very intricate line of scientific and engineering exploration.
Global warming is a big hazard and appropriate measures must be taken to tackle this serious
problem. This problem is not only causing trouble to the human beings but also to animals and
plants. Melting of polar ice caps will lead to floods which can cause mayhem
everywhere. Rise of sea levels will devastate agricultural and fishing activities. To embark upon
these problems, some remedial steps must be timely taken which include but are not limited to
the use of renewable sources of energy and stopping deforestation. Innovative solutions must be
brought forward to end this hazard once and forever.

--
With Regards
Jai Singh
(zaismac)
9990986268